REPLAY: Ipswich SHS v St Mary’s Toowoomba in the Langer Cup

Ipswich State High School has continued its run of form in the Allan Langer Cup, accounting for St Mary’s Toowoomba 30-18. WATCH THE REPLAY NOW.

Langer Cup giant-killers Ipswich State High School continued on its winning way tonight when the side snared a thrilling 30-18 win over St Mary’s College Toowoomba.

The scores were locked at 12-all at halftime and also 18-all well into the second half until Ipswich hooker Wyatt So’otaga broke the deadlock six minutes from time when he plunged over. Ipswich then added another try.

Ipswich coach Joshua Bretherton was relieved to win.

“We really had to work hard for it. It was a really tough effort. Mary’s were excellent, playing at great speed and put us under pressure.

“It became a thing where the boys had to be prepared to grind it out because they were never going to blow Mary’s off the park, not the way they showed up tonight.’’

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St Mary’s came out after halftime seemingly with a plan to move the ball away from the big Ipswich forwards and the home side had to work very hard.

“That was the idea (moving them around),’’ said St Mary’s coach Rob Anderson. “We did not have a lot of ball but the plan the whole time was to move them around because they are a big side.’’

For the second successive week St Mary’s gave ground late and lost, but coach Anderson said his young side was learning. “They are playing well above their weight. Just a bit of fatigue gets them in the end,’’ Anderson said.

Ipswich State High School goal kicker Lachlan Williamson did not miss a kick.

Ipswich SHS have now won three of the four matches played after upsetting Wavell SHS in round one and then Palm Beach Currumbin in round three.

Bretherton said the team learned a valuable lesson after a second round loss to Keebra Park SHS when they lost focus and concentration following the euphoria of a rare away win to Wavell which opened their campaign.

Shining lights last night was the right edge combination of second rower Valu Lisati, centre Bill Gase and winger Jarra Briggs.

Gase looks the complete centre in that he has power, pace and a deft touch.

Gase’s flick on pass with soft hands to put Briggs over in the second half was beautiful.

Under pressure Ipswich goal-kicker Lachlan Williamson landed them from everywhere which was crucial when the game was in the balance at 18-all.

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The game hung in the balance at half time after Ipswich winger Briggs slide over as the half time siren sounded.

Ipswich had scored first through centre Gase and last through Briggs during the opening period, but in between St Mary’s scored two spectacular tries against the run of play.

The first was a 100m team effort after St Mary’s fullback Preston Weatherall had retrieved a bomb that had bounced backwards towards his try line.

Weatherall scooped the ball up and down the right hand side St Mary’s went.

The move finished with Blake Cesari racing away to score then soon after St Mary’s No. 6 Keanu Wright-Dunrobin latched onto an intercept and ran 60m to score.

The Ipswich forwards displayed plenty of power but they were met willingly by the St Mary’s pack who latched onto the ball running in pairs to try and prevent Ipswich gaining momentum.

Both Ipswich wingers Briggs and Newman were explosive dummy half runners when Ipswich needed to get out of their own territory.

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